Ethics in the digital workplace
Digitisation and automation technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), can affect working conditions in a variety of ways and their use in the workplace raises a host of new ethical concerns.
Newton Abbot based DB Glass has announced plans to close. The business, which manufactures insulated glass for the social housing sector and for home builders, announced that it was starting a statutory 45 day consultation period with employee representatives from the Unite trade union. Earlier in 2017 Unite members voted for strike action when the company unilaterally changed shift patterns from five days of seven hours to four days of twelve hours per week.
DB Glass is owned by the Midlands based Specialist Building Products. There will be no comment from the parent company while the consultation process is in progress. The date for the closure will be confirmed when the consultation has concluded.
Eurofound (2017), DB Glass, Closure in United Kingdom, factsheet number 91674, European Restructuring Monitor. Dublin, https://restructuringeventsprod.azurewebsites.net/restructuring-events/detail/91674.